The Price of a Premium Format. When is it too much?

[ReplicantSavior]

One price. I'm curious what's the no more point for collectors for the average Premium Format. I remember when the Honey Trap characters were priced. Most thought it was crazy. Still do. I think only Whisper might be worth it.

With Sideshow now just about over $500 with shipping and taxes. It won't be long till they are at $600. Whisper is $669 retail for those that don't follow that line.

I could see myself accepting these prices for my favorite character only. The best representation of them. A sculpt and version that arrives flawless. With little chance of a future version being better. But anything else and $500+ is too much. I started a thread about getting more Spider-Man dioramas. The old Spider-Man vs Hulk diorama was $300 back in the day. That's a fantastic piece and $300 seems like a steal now...

[XMAN]

If the quality doesn't warrant the price....then it's too much.

[COI]

People pay thousands for certain PFs deemed to be "OMG GRAIL" even though they don't cure diabetes or erectile dysfunction, so I guess the only real answer to "when is it too much" is when people stop buying.

[Sigep756]

I have to agree that if the quality is there then I don't mind paying. But the new Wolverine piece, for example, seems overpriced for what one is getting.

[Shoo]

"The Price of a Premium Format. When is it too much?"

Now.

[Gyro Zeppeli]

To me it's when you can commission a piece for the same price or a little more. At that point you know the official products are way too expensive.

[traylorc]

When you see Sideshow start to actively lower the prices of their PFs...that is your best indication that current prices levels have exceed projected demand.

There is not a business in the world that raises prices without feeling there is sufficient demand to absorb the projected increases.

[Gianco]

It's too much when you are not willing to pay the price that it's asked for.

[ReplicantSavior]

Originally Posted by COI

People pay thousands for certain PFs deemed to be "OMG GRAIL" even though they don't cure diabetes or erectile dysfunction, so I guess the only real answer to "when is it too much" is when people stop buying.

But those people who usually pay $1000+ for the grail is usually after the fact. When the piece is sold out and in collector's hands. Not $1000 retail for the average premium format.

I wonder how many people would have paid $1000+ retail for a character like Darth Talon?

I actually have a hard time believing that people here will pay $500 for the average premium format. If Sideshow made a statue that wasn't a top character and charged $500. I don't see that working out.

[COI]

Originally Posted by ReplicantSavior

But those people who usually pay $1000+ for the grail is usually after the fact. When the piece is sold out and in collector's hands. Not $1000 retail for the average premium format.

I wonder how many people would have paid $1000+ retail for a character like Darth Talon?

I think if they put Darth Talon up for $1000, there would have been some combination of laughter and outrage.

That's the funny thing about collectibles; values are completely subjective and often determined by group-think. So it's really hard to know where the ceiling is for retail because it depends on what perception PFs have to the general collector base. My guess is, the recent jump in prices may be Sideshow attempting to gauge the ceiling for their PF line, and they're smartly using characters like Batman, Spidey and Wolverine to do it.